|
Posted: Tuesday 04 August 2009
MANCHESTER ASSOCIATES DAY TRIP
to CONSALL GARDENS and WEDGWOOD
July 1st
Once again Manchester Associates coach trip on Wednesday July 1st
was greeted by fine sunny weather for the 140 participants
to enjoy on our day out in Staffordshire.
Our main destination was a private visit to Consall Hall Gardens near Leek where the spectacular 70-acre garden was in full summer bloom.
 |
The gardens were developed from a series of old clay pits, which have been converted to ornamental lakes and follies located throughout the landscape many of which, on purchase from many old stately homes throughout the country, had been placed in strategic locations to act as
"Picture Frames"
for the owners' love of painting and photography. |
Many took the opportunity to stroll through the flower beds whilst the more adventurous took the long walking route and some took advantage of the golf-buggy rides provided by the 90 year-old owner who managed to do some driving himself.
This was followed by a very pleasant buffet in the restaurant before leaving on our next leg to Barlaston in Stoke-on-Trent for a visit to the Wedgwood Museum and Visitor Centre.
The Wedgwood Company has gone through a traumatic couple of years with the credit crunch, factory closures and redundancies, indeed when we booked in early February there was some doubt as to whether the visitor centre would survive the present crisis with an imminent take-over in progress.
So it was very heartening to find all was well and everything was open.
The museum itself is now a trust and will survive any problems, which is very good news because the contents are exceptional.
We could have spent more then the time allowed despite the fact that they remained open later for our visit.
Everything was very high tech as you would expect with a new attraction even including a camera which would take your picture as a cameo which in returning home you could print out on you own computer!!
Many spent time in the gift shops before finally returning back to Manchester in the early evening.
Graham Kaye
(ph 04/08/2009)
« Back to News
|
